What’s the point of a ‘devette’ razor please?

[JasonJT]

Greetings all.

I understand what a devette razor is; a safety razor without a safety bar in front of the blade. However I don’t quite understand the point of it because if I wanted a razor without the safety bar, I would purchase a shavette or an open comb razor.

Just to simplify matters, is there any advantage of a devette over a shavette such as a heavier handle or perhaps slightly better ease of use? (Apologies in case I have answered my own question here…)

Thanks in advance for your help as always!

Jason.

 

[APBinNCA]

The point, as I understand it, is that functionally it's a DE razor. Meaning, a standard blade instead of dealing with half blades. And the handle like a safety razor. I know one person on here used his to learn to not apply pressure the hard way.

 

[Cal]

This old thread: No guard DE? (all 50 pages of it) may help.

BTW, safety bars and open combs are both guards. Guards are what make safety-razors safety-razors.

Here's mine, I call it "The Coach" (that's because I'm a steep angle shaver):

The baseplate holds the blade nice and rigid (but the guards have been ground off).

Shave wise, it wouldn't make any difference to a cap-rider/shallow-angle-shaver (apart from being "unsafe" due to the lack of guards).

 

[ouchyfoot]

A Shavette shaves horizontally, a DEvette shaves vertically, which is much more natural and easier to control and hold the angle with muscle memory.

 

[rbscebu]

@Cal I just read through the thread you linked to on devettes. A very interesting read. As a SR shaver, I am now intrigued about devette shaving.

Previously I have been scarred when shaving with a "safety" razor as they did not allow me to see the blade's edge on my skin. The Devette might calm a lot of my fear, except where the handle might obscure the sight of the edge.

Now all I have to do is find a cheap DE "safety" razor that I can easily modify to a devette.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Making a devette is a way to salvage a damaged razor or one that won't shave close enough. If the guard is bent, just grind it off, waste not, want not! Getting a closer shave is possible with some skill.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

@Cal I just read through the thread you linked to on devettes. A very interesting read. As a SR shaver, I am now intrigued about devette shaving.

Previously I have been scarred when shaving with a "safety" razor as they did not allow me to see the blade's edge on my skin. The Devette might calm a lot of my fear, except where the handle might obscure the sight of the edge.

Now all I have to do is find a cheap DE "safety" razor that I can easily modify to a devette.

If you struggle to adjust to the perpendicular handle, a Razorine with the combs removed, would give you a shavette that takes whole double edged blades. Personally, my preference for inline handles is one of the (several) things that stops me using straight format razors more, and I can get quite frustrated with the Razorine, trying to hit the angle sweet spot.

Aside from familiarity of use, I don't think the perpendicular handle would encumber you though. I can however understand your issue of the comb affecting visibility. As a partially bearded chap, I do occasionally switch to a Dovo shavette for edging up, just so I can see clearer what's happening where the blade approaches the bit I'm trying to keep.

 

[rbscebu]

I have two Ming Shi 2000S "safety" razors. After studying them, it shouldn't be too hard to modify one to a devette.

 

[Old Hippie]

Just to simplify matters, is there any advantage of a devette over a shavette such as a heavier handle or perhaps slightly better ease of use? (Apologies in case I have answered my own question here…)

I am tempted to simply answer, "Manliness. Pure manliness."

But that would be both incorrect and provocative. :O) So I didn't.

I think it comes from several sources:

-- somebody's got a damaged razor that won't shave close;
-- somebody wants to try a straight or shavette, but either money or availability is a problem;
-- somebody really likes naked blade shaving, but also really likes T-shaped razors

I've had a few moments of considering getting an inexpensive but fairly good quality old razor and trying it. I like my shavettes, but I find the western style a bit cumbersome for head shaving. Kamisori style works much better for me, but in the end a nice slant razor still gives me the best shaves. I've come from "my how crazy some of these old coots are" to "that actually looks like something I might try one day."

I've also had the thought that guys with a devette (or a sevette) probably have very little trouble with the better half borrowing the razor to shave her legs. Not a problem in our house; Mrs. Hippie has her own stuff.

O.H.

 

[Rob72]

I've made an SEvettete, using the mild plate from my Supply razor. Definitely reinforces the "no pressure" concept!

 

[KeenDogg]

Some guys like living on the edge. I'm sure they were the forefathers of BOSC.

 

[1greenie1]

I've made an SEvettete, using the mild plate from my Supply razor. Definitely reinforces the "no pressure" concept!

Many moons ago when I was a teenager (14?), I purchased my first Gillette Tech DE razor at a flea market. I had never seen one before as up until then I was using straights. It had a top plate and handle. That's it. That night I placed (from the 10 pack of Wilkinson Sword supplied with it) a DE blade on the bottom of the top cap, screwed the handle up onto the blade to secure it in place and spent the next several teenage and a couple of early 20s years shaving with that until I realised (after receiving a shave kit with a proper complete DE razor for my birthday from my grand parents) it was supposed to have a bottom plate. Funnily enough I never cut myself with it.
Ahhh, to be young and blissfully naive.

 

[Felix G]

If you struggle to adjust to the perpendicular handle, a Razorine with the combs removed, would give you a shavette that takes whole double edged blades. Personally, my preference for inline handles is one of the (several) things that stops me using straight format razors more, and I can get quite frustrated with the Razorine, trying to hit the angle sweet spot.

Aside from familiarity of use, I don't think the perpendicular handle would encumber you though. I can however understand your issue of the comb affecting visibility. As a partially bearded chap, I do occasionally switch to a Dovo shavette for edging up, just so I can see clearer what's happening where the blade approaches the bit I'm trying to keep.

you should try the Razoring Flatboy. It's basically their shavette with DE handle. Unbelievable effective and smooth.